Smocking device for sewing-machines.



A. GRIEB.

SMOCKING DEVICE FOR'SEWING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED Nov.23.191..

LQMW@ mmed Feb. 51918,.

f 3 SHEETS-SHEET1.

WPTNESSI TVM HMM/w Af. GRIEB.

SMOCKING DEVICE FOR SEWING MACHINES. AePLIcATIoN FILED Nov. 2a, 1916.'

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2 INVENTOR A. GHEB. SMOCKING DEVICEVFOR SEWING4 MACHINES.

APPLICATION HLED Nov. 2a, 1916.

l, www@ Feb., 5,1918.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3..

NVENTOR` ALFRED GRIEIiOF ELIZABETH, NEW JERSY, ASSIGNOR T0 THE SINGER MANUFAC- TURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

SIVEOCKING DEVICE FOR SEWING-MACHINES.

Application filed November 23, 1916.

To all whom #mag/concern.'

Be itknown that I, ALFRED GRIEB, a citi zen of the United States, residing at Elizabeth, in the county of Union and Sta-te of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Smocking Devices for Sewing-Machines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to sewing machines of the type adapted to form detached groups of fastening stitches and has for an object to provide a machine of-y this type with improved workholding mechanism designed to permit quick, easy and accurate manipula# tion of the fabric during the production of honey-combed or smocked work wherein the base portions of a series of parallel closely arranged tucks are secured together at intervals by spaced groups of fastening stitches, the groups of stitches of adjacent' rows being disposed in staggered relation.

The invention has for another object to provide a smocking attachment wherein the various parts are carried by a common support which is adapted to be mounted upon the bed-plate of a sewing machine.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for jogging the attachment laterally of the needle-path in timed relation with the reciprocations of the needle.

Another object of the invention is to provide the attachment with a fold-positioning blade formed with an elongated guiding tongue adapted to engage a plurality of previously formed groups of tying stitches and assist in accurately positioning the work in the form of a smooth and undistorted fold and in proper position relative to the needle.

A further object of the invention is to provide the fold-positioning blade with a straight and unobstructed slot between the elongated guiding tongue and the body of the blade to first receive and subsequently permit the easy escape of the groups of stitches as they are shifted in a direction lengthwise of said tongue.

A further object of the invention is to provide the attachment with an upper workclamping plate which will hold thick or thin work with equal facility and which may be lifted through suitable manual-ly controlled means.

With the above and other objects in View,

Specificationv of Letters latent.

Y rammen rei. s, iam.. serial No. 132,945.

as hereinafter more fully explained, the invention is disclosed as embodied in` a machine of` the well-known button-sewer type constructed substantially in accordance with the disclosure in the patent to J. J. Sullivan, No. 777,564, and comprising a reciprocating needle and a work-holder to whichy lateral jogging movements are imparted through suitable connections' witha controlling cam which carries a tripping point adapted to release the stop-mechanism at the end of a stitching cycle.

In the present instance the work-holding mechanism includes a frame -member, the shank of which is detachably secured to the forward end of the lower clamp-actuating bar common to machines of the type above referred to. This frame is formed` with an. upstanding boss which is apertured to receive one leg of an inverted U-shaped hanger, tothe other leg of which is secured the shank of a forwardly disposed T-shaped fold-positioning blade which is arranged substantially in a horizontal plane with its transversely extending operative head disposed above the usualv fabric-supportingl plate secured to the forward end of the clamp-actuating bar. The frame is also formed with a rearwardly offset boss apertured horizontally to receive a bearing pin upon which is pivotally mounted the shank end of a T-shaped clamping plate, the clamping head of which is disposed above and substantially parallel with the active portion or head of the fold-positioning blade. The forward edge of the clamping plate is notched, centrally of its length, to receive the needle and is provided on oppositeA sides of said notch with series of graduations and suitable indicating pointers facilitating the' accurate spacing and arrangement of the groups of stitches.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a machine embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is a reverse side elevation of the machine. Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing the attachment in working position on the bed-plate of the machine. Fig. fi is a plan view of the attachment. Fig. 5 is a detail plan view of the operative portion or head of the fold-positioning blade. Fig. 6: is a crossesection taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 4 with the work-clamp in its lower or clamping position.-` Fig. 7 is a similar view showing the clamp-plate elevated, and Figs. 8 and 9 are front and reverse side views or' a sample ot the work produced by the machine.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, as illustrated, the machine comprises the bed-plate 1, standard 2 and arm 3, terminating in the head 4 in which is journaled the needle-bar 5 carrying the needle 6 adapted to coperate with a loop-taker of any,l well-known form, such as a shuttle,

- which may be mounted to oscillate in the raceway 7. The needle-bar is reciprocated by the usual connections with the main-shaft 8 journaled in the arm 3 and carrying at its rearward end the tight and loose pulleys 9 and 10, respectively.

The main-shaft also carries a worm 11 meshing with .a gear 12 on a cross shaft 13 having an outboard projection on which is mounted the usual controlling cam-wheel 14 acting to impart operative movements to the usual work-clamp supporting bar 15 through the link and lever connections common to machines of the type disclosed in said Sullivan patent. Certain of these connections for vibrating the clamp-bar 15 laterally commonly take the form of a Cain-actuated lever 16 connected by a link 17 to one arm 18 of a bellcrank-lever whose other arm 19 is connected by a bowed link 20 to a slide-block 21 mounted at the under side of the bedplate 1 and secured to the clainp-bar 15 by suitable bolts, one of which is shown at 22. For reciprocating the clamp-bar 15 longitudinally it is common to employ the camactuated lever 23 having a slotted arm 24 in which is fitted in a manner well-known the block embracing the upright pin 26 fixed to the clamp-bar 15. In the present instance, the block 25 s shown adjusted to a position concentric with the axis of the lever 23 Yfor the purpose of rendering the vibrations of said lever ineffective. The controlling cam 14 also acts to trip the usual starting and stopping lever S into action to stop the machine at the end or' a stitching cycle and is provided with a thread-cutter controlling cam-slot 27 which, in practice, acts through the lever 28 and cutter-bar 29 to iinpart the first stage cutting movements to the usual thread-cutter, not shown, the second stage movement of which is received from the overthrow of the stop-lever S when the latter isvtripped into action. As all of the foregoing construction is well-known and fully described in said Sullivan patent it is deemed unnecessary to more fully describe the same herein. Y v

Mounted at the forward end of the clampbar 15 by means of the usual dowel-pins 30 and bolt 31 is the fabric-supporting plate 32 having a suitable needle-aperture 33. The plate 32 is quite thin and is adapted to slide upon the throat-plate p during the operation of the machine. Since the shankend 34 of the plate 32 is oli'set above the plane of the work-engaging surface of said plate the latter is deeply notched at to clear the fold-positioning blade 36 te be described.

Secured to the clamp-bar 15 by screws 37 is the under cut shank 38 of the attachment trame 39 which is formed with an upstanding boss 40 apertured to receive one leg 4l, of an inverted U-shaped hanger comprisingl the inverted L-shaped rod 42 and the depending arm 43 whose split upper end 43 is clamped about the ovcrhanging free end ol: the rod 42. The lower end of the arm 43 is extended laterally at 44 and grooved to form a seat for the shank 36 of the T- shaped fold-positioning blade 36, above referred to, which is secured in said seat by a lliuinb-screw 45. The fold-positioning blade 36 is formed with a told defining edge 36" and is apcrtured at 46 to receive the needle. rlhc blade is further formed with a straight slot 47 which leads from thc needleaperture 46 to and through the left-hand extrcmityoi:l the operative head of said blade. The slot 47 defines an elongated guiding tongue 4S which is extended beyond the end of the slot 47 and is adapted to engage two or more groups of tying stitches and assist in alining said groups of stitches with the stitching point, thereby adding materially to the ease and rapidity with which an operator may shift the work to new stitch-receiving positions.

In the use of an attachment lor producing smocked work it is very desirable that thin fabric be held under the same pressure as thick fabric and to secure the fulfilment ot this condition the upper clamp-member of the device is pivotally mounted and pressed downwardly by a separate spring in the 'following manner. The attachment frame 39 is formed with a rearwardly extending arm 49 terminating in au apertured boss 50 in which is ixedly secured a horizontal pivot pin 51 by means of a set-screw Disposed above thc head of the workengaging portion of the fold-positioning blade 36 is the head of a T-shaped workclainping plate 53 whose reduced shank 54 extends opposite to the shank 36 oli the toldpositioning blade 36 and is undercut to lil over the arm to which it is secured by screws 55. The arm is formed with a boss 56 which is confined for turning movements upon the pin 51 by the collar 57. A coiled spring 58 surrounds the extension 56 of the boss 56 and has one end 59 extended uiider the arm 49. The other end 60 of the spring 58 extends over a corner 61 projecting from the clamp-plate 53 as shown in Fig. 4.

The head or active portion of the clampplate 53 is formed with oppositely directed Sil ltltl lll?) llo extensions 62, 62 which are disposed above the similar extensions of the blade. The clamp-plate 53 is reduced in thickness at its forwardly disposed edge 63 which forms a guide for positioning the base of the previously formed tuck closely in front of the needlepa`th but beyond the range of action of the needle. The forward edge portion of the clamp-plate 53 is notched at 64- to receive the needle and this notch is elongated sutiiciently to permit the relative jogging movements between the needle and clampplate in a direction transversely of the edge G3. The clamp-plate 53 is provided with elongated apertures 65, 65, one at each side of the needle-receiving notch 64, through one of which apertures previously formed groups of fastening stitches may be viewed to enable the operator to place said groups opposite a desired graduation mark shown behind the edge 63 when. the spacing between adjacent groups of stitches of the initial row being formed is less than the distance from the notch 64 to the end 66 of the tuck-positioning edge 63. The upper end of the upstanding arm 67 which is threaded into the clamp-plate 53 is extended laterally into mei-hanging relation with a lateral extension piece 68 carried by the usual presser-bar 69 whose upper end is connected to the treadle-operated lever 70. Movement of this lever serves to lift the forward portion of the clamp-plate 53 and swing it upwardly about the pivot-pin 5l.

In the operation of the device, when the work-claniping plate is lifted, the foldpositioning blade 36 springs upwardly to the position shown in F ig. 7 wherein said blade is spaced above the work-supporting plate The fabric is inserted between the plate 32 and blade 3G, and the edge`-portion is bent back over the fold-deiining edge 36X of said blade. The work-clan'iping plate 53 is then lowered and acts to clamp the fabric against the lower and upper surfaces of the blade 36, as shown in Fig. 6. The machine is now caused to run through a stitching cycle and forms a group of stitches at the desired point. The work is then released and the group of stitches is shifted along the slot 47 into registry with the desired one of the space indicating graduations on the workclamp plate. The work is repeatedly clamped and stitched in this manner until the initial row of grouped t ing stitches has been formed. The tuck de ned by this row of stitches is now drawn forwardly over the blade 86 and the base of said tuck is-positioned against the edge 63 of the workclamping plate 53 during the formation of the next row of tying stitches. It is important that the groups of stitches of subsequent rows be spaced midway between adjacent groups of stitches of a preceding row. To insure this arrangement of the tying stitches, pointers 7l, 71 are provided, one of which may be shifted to indica-te a graduation mark of one-half the value of that followed in spacing the stitches of the initial row. The values of these graduations are directly proportional to their respective distances from the needle-hole. In forming the tying stitches of the second row the work is positioned so that an adjacent group of stitches of the previous row is stationed opposite the pointer. When the work is so positioned the group of stitches being formed will take a position halfway between the adjacent groups of stitches in the previously formed row. It will be noted that the clamping plate 53 is extended toward the right as well as toward the left of the needle-notch 64. By substituting a reversely formed foldpositioning blade for that shown, the work may be fed toward the right, as may sometimes be desirable. The active portions of the fold-positioning blade and work-clamping plate are purposely arranged diagonally7 of the clamp-actuating bar l5; This arrangement permits of the free manipulation of the work about the fold-positioning blade without interference bythe frame 39 or bar l5 and also permits the use of a simple construction for supporting said blade and plate.

The particular embodiment shown and described is obviously susceptible of material modication both in the form and arrangement of its various parts, within the scope of theinvention. The invention is not therefore to be considered as limited to the exact structure shown and described.

lll'aviug thus set forth the nature of the invention, what I claim herein is l. In a sewing machine, the combination with a frame and stitclrforining mechanism incorporated in said frame and including a reciprocating needle, of a fold-positioning blade extending on opposite sides of the needle-path and cut away to receive the needle, a fold-clamping plate, a support for said blade and plate, and means for vibrating said support relatively to said frame and laterally of said needle.

2. In a sewing machine, the combination with a frame and stitch-forming mechanism incorporated in said frame and including a reciprocating needle, of a work-supporting plate, a work-clamping plate, a fold-positioning blade interposed between said alates, a support carrying said plates and lade, and means for vibrating said support relatively tosaid 'trame andA laterally of said needle.

3. In a sewing machine, in combination, a reciprocating needle, a work-supporting plate, a fold-positioning blade, a workclamping plate, a support for said plates and blade, means for vibrating said support laterally of said needle and manually controlled I l (l means adapted to lift said clamping plate and head, stitch-forming mechanism including aneedle-bar journaled to reciprocate in said head, and a work-holder mounted for jogging movements on said bed-plate, said work-holder including a supporting bar disposed lengthwise of said bed-plate, an arm mounted on said bar, a fold-positioning blade carried by the tree end of said arm and having an operative edge disposed adjacent the stitching point and inclined to the direction ot the length of said bar, and a walt-clamping plate carried by said bar and disposed above said blade.

A smocking attachment for sewing machines comprising, a support adapted to be mounted above the bed-plate of the sewing machine, an arm carried by said support, superimposed fabric-supporting and clamping plates mounted on said support and a fold-positioning blade carried by said arm and positioned between said plates, said fold-positioning blade being cut awayto receive the sewing machine needle.

6. A smocking attachment for sewing machines comprising, a support adapted to be mounted for lateral movement over the bedplate of the sewing machine, an overhangingarm carried by said support, superimposed fabric-supporting and clamping elements mounted on said support, and a foldpositioning element carried by said arm and positionedbetween said fabric-supporting and-clamping elements said fold-positioning element being cut away to receive the sewing machine needle.

.7. A smocking attachment for sewing machines comprising, a support adapted to be mounted for movement over the bed-plate of asewi'ng machine, an inverted U-shaped arm free at one end and at its oposite end joined to said support, superimposed fabricsupporting and clamping members sustained by said support, and a fold-positioning blade carried by said arm and positioned b etween said plates.

8. A smocking attachment for sewing machines comprising, a work-support, a clamping member opposed to said support, and a fold-positioning blade interposed between said support and clamping member, said blade including an elon ated fold-guiding tongue projecting beyond the body oit the blade whereby said tongue may engage a plurality of groups of tacking stitches, and whereby the work may be readily shifted longitudinally of said tongue without distortion.

9. In a smocking attachment, a fabric support, a slotted :told-positioning blade, a pivotally mounted work-clamping plate, and a spring independent oi said clamping plate and acting on the latter to urge it toward said support.

10. A smocking attachment for sewing machines comprising, a supporting bar, a fabric-supporting plate and an attachment frame each carried at one end of said bar, a fabric-clamping plate pivoted to said trame on an axis inclined to said bar and having a fabric-engaging edge substantially parallel to said axis, and a fold-positioning blade carried by said frame and disposed between said fabric-supporting and work-clamping plates.

11. A smocking attachment for sewing machines comprising, a fold -positioning blade and a work-clamping member overlying said blade, said blade having a needlehole, a fold-defining edge, a fold-guiding tongue and a straight and unobstructed stitch-discharging slot leading from said needle-hole in a direction lengthwise of said tongue, whereby the groups of stitches may be removed from the ield of action of said bladeV by a shifting movement solely in the direction of the length of said tongue.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my namel to this specification.

ALFRED GRIEB.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

' washington, D. c. 

